Envelope



Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.Ak

, ENVELOPE Application January 11, 1933. Serial No. 651,065

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in envelopes.

In view of the fact that many States and counties issue automobiledrivers licenses and registration certificates, there is considerabledemand for an inexpensive window envelope which is especially adapted toreceive a relatively small card of the type used for this purpose. As ageneral rule, these cards are so small that if 10 they are mailed in anenvelope of the same size, it is objectionable to the postalauthorities. Furthermore, the cards usually have the name and addressnear the top or in' such a position that if an ordinary envelope isused, the window l5 must be near the top edge if provision is to be madefor proper registration with the name and address on the card. Inasmuchas the postal laws require a clear space of at least 13/8 inches at thetop for cancelation purposes, the designing of a suitable envelope haspresented a considerable problem.

Heretofore, various envelopes have been devised for handling cards ofthe type referred to. These envelopes have been constructed withinterior adhesive areas or lines to define a space of smaller size thanthe envelope for receiving the card and for properly positioning thelatter relative to the window. Necessarily, in the manufacture of thisenvelope, great care must be proper registration of the card with thewindow, and the cost of manufacture is therefore relatively high.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an envelopefor the purpose described which is designed to hold a card of smallersize with the-address in proper registration with an intermediatelylocated window, the envelope being so formed that the necessity ofemploying carefully located interior adhesive areas is eliminated.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an envelopewherein an extensionV flap is employed adjacent an edge, said iiap beingadhesively secured to the interior of the envelope, and the side iiapsbeing so formed as to be cooperable with said extension flap in causingproper positioning of the card.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope of the classdescribed which can be manufactured with a minimum of material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an envelope of theclass described which can be so formed as to serve a dual purposeused inthe application of the adhesive to insure A that of holding a licenseplate, catalog or the like in addition to the card.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope which issuitable for use in mailing any type of relatively small card, Where-50' in the same problem is present as in the mailing of driverslicenses, registration certicates, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope which issimple in construcg5. tion, neat in appearance, and well adapted for thepurpose described.

In the acompanying drawing in which the same reference numeralsdesignate the same parts in all of the views:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an envelope blank used in carrying out thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a card of the type suitable for use in theimproved envelope;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rear of the envelope before iinal sealing,showing the card in position;

. Fig. l4: is a plan view showing the front of` the envelope with theedges reversed in position from Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the rear of a modiiied form of envelopeadapted for the simultaneous mailing in separated compartments of a cardand a larger enclosure such as a license plate.

Referring kmore particularly to the drawing, the blank is cut out in theshape shown in Fig. 1 to provide a main section 8 having a foldablesealing flap 9, a foldable extension flap 10, *and foldable side flaps1l. The blank is also formed with a cut-out 12 forming a window, and thesaid window may or may not be provided with a transparent covering 13. Y

The sealing flap 9 has its outer edge coated with.' a layer of suitableadhesive as at 14, in the usual manner. In addition, the extension iiap10 is also formed near its outer edge with 100 adhesive material 15. Theblanks are assembled into envelope form by rst folding the side iiaps 11inwardly and then by folding the. extension flap 10 upwardly over thelower portions of the side aps in the manner shown in Fig. 3, theextension iiap being caused to adhere to the main section 8 of theenvelope between the side flaps,` as at 16, and also to the lowerportions of the side aps, as at 17. Thus, the upper edge 18 of theexten- 110 the envelope. is accomplished without utilizing carefullylosion ap l0 (referring to the position in Fig. 3) is secured to themain body 8 the entire distance between the side flaps 11 to form apositive stop. In view of the fact that most certificates ofregistration or drivers licenses are a part of a long form and areseparated therefrom before mailing to the applicant, the name andaddress frequently appear on the card in such a position as to render itdifficult to procure proper registration of the name and address with awindow in an envelope, and still maintain said window the properdistance from the upper edge of the envelope as required by law.Referring to the drivers license 19 illustrated in Fig. 2, which istypical of the type of card for which the envelope has been designed, itwill be seen that the address appears relatively near the upper edge ofthe card. If this card were inserted in an envelope of substantially thesame sizeV and a window were formed in the envelope to register with thename and address, the window would be too close to the upper edge of theenvelope. If the card were reversed in position, of course, the name andaddress would appear upside down, and if it were attempted to utilizethe opposite edge of the envelope as the top in mailing, the windowwould still be too close to said edge. With the present envelope, thecard shown in Fig. 2 is inserted upside down in the envelope, while thelatter is in the position shown in Fig. 3. The envelope is of such sizethat the space above the edge 18 of the extension ap 10 is substantiallythe same size as the card. The card is therefore inserted below the sideflaps 11 until the bottoni edge abuts the edge 18 of the extension ap.Due to the fact that this edge 18 is secured to the main section 8 ofthe envelope, the card cannot be moved'any lower. The window 12 in theenvelope is so positioned that when the card is in the position shown inFig. 3, that the name and address will be in registration with saidWindow, the said name and address, however, being upside down withrelation to the sealing flap 9. Next, the gummed edge 14 of the sealingflap 9 is moistened and said flap is lowered in the usual manner andcaused to adhere to the outer side of the extension flap 10. The edgesof the envelope are then reversed in position as shown in Fig. 4 tobring the name and address right side up, and thus what was formerly thelower edge of the envelope is the upper edge in transit. Due to theadditional material formed by the extension ilap 10 and the material inthe body therebelow, ample space is provided above the window for thestamp and for cancellation purposes, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

From the above, it may readily be seen that an envelope of larger sizethan the card which it is adapted to receive has been devised, whereinmeans is provided for positively insuring proper registration of thename and address on the card with a properly located window in It willfurther be seen that this cated adhesive areas on the interior of theenvelope as has been proposed in prior patents. With applicantsarrangement, once the blank is properly cut, it is merely necessary tocause the extension flap 10 to adhere over the side aps inthe mannershown in Fig. 3, and it will readily be seen that it is simple to applythe adhesive to the extension flap 10, as the adhesive merely has to beextended'along the edge of said nap, and it is not necessary to applycarefully located adhesive areas to the` interior of the main section 8or to intermediate portions of the naps requiring careful gauging.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the same principlesare utilized, with the exception of the fact that the extension flap 10'and the portion of the main section therebelow are much greater inlength. Also, the side flaps l1 are lengthened proportionately. In thisform of the invention, the extension flap 10 is adhesively secured alongthe side edges as at 20, as well as on the end edge 21. Prior to thesecuring of the extension flap 10 in place, however, a license plate,catalog or the like is inserted below the flap l0 so that when said flapis secured in the position shown in Fig. 6, it forms a sealedcompartment for the enclosure, separating the latter from the enclosurefor the card 19. The sealing flap 9 for the card enciosure is thensealed in the same manner as in the main form ofv the invention, afterthe card has been inserted. Thus, an envelope has been provided which issuitable for the mailing under a single cover of a card requiring oneclass of postage and of an insert requiring another class of postage.

It is obvious that the particular style of the envelope of Fig. 1 andFig. 6 may be varied in accordance with the particular shape of thearticles to be mailed, and that various other changes, modifications andadaptations may be devised without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come withinthe scope of the vhaving a window therein, side flaps spaced from oneanother to expose the inner side of the main section of the envelope, anupwardly folded extension nap having its upper edge secured to theexposed inner side of the main section and to the lower portions of theside flaps to serve as a stop and thereby cause proper registration ofan insert with the envelope Window, and means for closing the envelope.

3. An envelope comprising a main section having a window therein, a pairof. oppositely disposed side flaps, a lower flap secured to the lowerportions of the side flaps and to the inner side of the main section toform a stop and thereby cause proper registration of an insert with theenvelope window, and means for closing the envelope'.

4. An envelope comprising a main section having a window therein, a pairof relatively narrow oppositely disposed side flaps, said side flapsbeingA spaced apart a substantial distance, a lower nap secured to thelower portions of the side flaps and to the inner side of the mainsection between the side flaps to form a stop and thereby cause properregistration of an in- Mil sert with the envelope window, and means forclosing the envelope.

5. An envelope comprising a main section having a window therein, a pairof oppositely dis-` posed side aps, a lower ap secured over the lowerportions of the side aps and to the inner side of the main section toform a stop andr thereby cause proper registrationof an insert with theenvelope window, and means for closing the envelope.

6. A window envelope for a card having an address near the upper 'edgethereof, comprising a main section having a window spaced substantiallythe same distance from the upper edge of the envelope as the address ona card to be inserted therein is spaced from the lower edge of saidcard, said window being spaced a substantial distance from the loweredge of the envelope, a pair of oppositely disposed side flaps, a lowerflap having its free edge portion secured to the inner side of theV mainsection between the side naps to serve as a stop and thereby causeregistration of the address on the card with the windowwhen the card isinserted in inverted position, and means for sealing the envelope, theface of the envelope being read in reversed position in transit.

'7. A double mailing envelope comprising a front section having a windowtherein, oppositely disposed side naps folded on the inner side of saidfront portion, flap means foldable over an insert disposed between itand the front section, means for securing said flap means in positionwith its end edge below the window to serve as a stop and thereby causeproper registration of a card or the like with the envelope `frontsection having a window therein, oppositely disposed side naps folded onthe inner side of said front section, a bottom ap fold-Y able over aninsert disposed between it and the front section, means for securing thesides of the bottom flap to the side flaps and for securing the end edgeof the bottom iiap to the inner side of the front section below thewindow to serve as a stop and Vthereby cause proper registration of acard or the like with the enveiope window and to denne the lower edge ofthe card compartment, and means for closing said card compartment afterthe card has been inserted therein.

9. A double mailing envelope comprising a front section having a windowtherein, oppositely disposed side flaps folded on the inner side of saidfront section, a bottom flap foldable over an insert disposed between itand the front section, means for securing the sides of the bottom nap tothe side i'laps and for securing the end edge of the bottom ap to theinner side of the front section below the window to serve as a stop andthereby cause proper registration of a card or thelike with the envelopewindow and to denne the lower edge of the card compartment, and an upperflap for closing said card compartment after the card has been insertedtherein.

ELIJAH G. VALLIER.

